tracing: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Neutral to Formal
Quick answer
What does “tracing” mean?
The act of following the course, outline, or path of something.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The act of following the course, outline, or path of something; a copy of a drawing, map, or design made by drawing over its lines on a transparent sheet placed on top.
The process of finding the origin, development, or cause of something; a faint or barely detectable sign or record of something; in computing, a diagnostic technique that records the sequence of program execution.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning. Spelling and pronunciation are consistent. The verb 'trace' is used identically.
Connotations
Neutral in both varieties. In technical contexts (engineering, computing), it is standard jargon.
Frequency
Similar frequency in both dialects. Slightly more common in technical/educational contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “tracing” in a Sentence
tracing of [NOUN] (the tracing of the call)tracing [NOUN] (tracing paper)tracing [that CLAUSE] (tracing how the virus spread)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “tracing” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- She is tracing her family tree using online archives.
- The detective traced the missing parcel to a depot in Leeds.
American English
- He's tracing the wiring diagram to find the fault.
- The outbreak was traced back to a single restaurant.
adverb
British English
- [No standard adverbial form for 'tracing'.]
American English
- [No standard adverbial form for 'tracing'.]
adjective
British English
- She bought a pad of tracing paper for her design project.
- The tracing exercise helped the students learn the shapes.
American English
- He used a tracing wheel to transfer the pattern to fabric.
- The software has a useful tracing feature for vector art.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Tracing the supply chain for inefficiencies.
Academic
Tracing the historical development of an idea.
Everyday
The child did a tracing of a cartoon character.
Technical
Enabling call tracing on the telephone system.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “tracing”
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “tracing”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “tracing”
- Using 'tracing' as a main verb (e.g., 'I am tracing the drawing' is correct for the verb 'trace'; the noun is 'I made a tracing').
- Confusing 'tracing' (the copy) with 'sketching' (creating a freehand drawing).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, while the core meaning involves copying lines, it is widely used abstractly (e.g., tracing a problem, tracing your ancestry).
'Tracing' often involves discovering a path, origin, or creating a copy. 'Tracking' typically means following something that is currently moving or monitoring its progress over time.
'Tracing' is the present participle or gerund of the verb 'to trace'. As a standalone word in a dictionary, it is primarily listed as a noun (e.g., 'a tracing').
A public health process used to identify and notify people who may have been exposed to an infectious disease.
The act of following the course, outline, or path of something.
Tracing is usually neutral to formal in register.
Tracing: in British English it is pronounced /ˈtreɪsɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈtreɪsɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms for 'tracing' as a noun. The verb 'trace' appears in idioms like 'trace back to' or 'lose trace of'.]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'tracing' as 'placing a TRAnsparent sheet and traCING the lines'.
Conceptual Metaphor
INVESTIGATION IS FOLLOWING A PATH (tracing a problem to its source).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'tracing' used most abstractly?